Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Any efficient leader has to be somewhat single-minded, and, to some extent, insensitive and bullheaded. If you take the time to listen to and consider every single person’s opinion, you’ll never get anywhere. Striking a balance between heeding individual needs and steamrolling ahead with a workable decision is what every strong leader must learn to do. This is especially hard for you Librans; your ability to see every side is almost an inability to ignore any side. That’s not to say you can’t be effective leaders—you just have to work a little harder at it. This week, you should get multiple opportunities to practice.

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

I know your secret: You’re competitive. Most Scorpios try to hide this aspect of themselves, and if you think there’s any chance you won’t win, before you get involved you’ll shrug the whole thing off as if it didn’t matter. However, there are times when you simply have to take a risk. You need to commit wholeheartedly and openly to something (pretending it doesn’t matter won’t work), and consequently risk humiliating defeat or devastating failure. This, my dear, is one of those times. I know you have the courage to seize this opportunity, as perilous as it may be. Don’t disappoint me.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)

If you build a fire from paper and cardboard, it’ll light quickly, but blaze up wildly and burn right out. Conversely, if you just stack huge logs of hardwood, getting them to ignite will be impossible. Obviously, to bridge the gap between a bit of newsprint and a thick chunk of maple, you need to have the right mix of flammable stuff that will burn at different thresholds and for different periods of time. Groups work much the same. If you have all like-minded people, you’ll move swiftly, but whatever you create will flare up and burn out just as fast. A committee formed entirely out of stubborn old sticks-in-the-mud won’t get anywhere, either. A mix is required. Since you have a hand in creating that mix, I suggest you keep these concepts in mind.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Versatility is key. Think of it this way: if you could only bring one type of booze to a desert island to enjoy forever, you wouldn’t necessarily bring your favorite, which might be too specific a flavor, like spiced rum or gin. You’d probably bring something neutral that could be made into lots of different kinds of drinks, like vodka. The same goes for long-term relationships. Although being a specific flavor has its advantages in the moment, being able to take on an abundance of different flavors (i.e., roles) is crucial to making it for the long haul. You run the risk of being too specialized. Retain those amazing “flavors,” but this week, work on developing that vital versatility.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

Over the course of your life, you’ve learned that the same rules don’t apply everywhere. For some people, this realization first comes when they make the transition from high school to college or real life. This isn’t physics (and even the laws of physics can be bent under certain conditions). What worked in one place just won’t fly in another. That’s why we need to always be ready to flex and adapt. As you get older, this becomes more difficult, as there are more aspects of your life locking bits of you into place. However, you still have room to bend and grow. Make use of that space. Use it or lose it.

Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20)

Sometimes I wish personality traits were something you could buy over the counter. If I were placing an order for you, I’d get an ounce of patience, a spoonful of confidence, and a maximum dose of perseverance. Those would yield success, whereas right now you’re getting frustrated early, putting yourself down too much, and giving up long before you should. Luckily, these traits can be developed, even if you can’t pick them up at the neighborhood drugstore. In some cases, it’s as “easy” as pretending you have them already. If you can fake confidence, ignore your frustration, and just stick with this as if you were a stubborn Taurus instead of a flexible Pisces, you’ll get to where you want to go—and consequently start acquiring those qualities for real.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

Most Rams are covered in scars, both physical and emotional. That’s because of your tendency just to throw yourself into things, often without really thinking them through. However, this isn’t a bad thing. It’s part of the magic of who you are. Exercising too much caution, or being ruled by the fear of accumulating new scars, are the first big steps toward becoming boring, something no Aries should ever be. Be like Wolverine, able to spring back up and heal from anything that doesn’t kill you. Your place is in the thick of the action—if you’ve strayed from there, you’re not where you need to be.

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

However much you’d like to “try before you buy,” in some cases that’s simply impossible. And the return policy on relationships is not so much “no questions asked” as “not without hassle and heartache.” So I can understand your caution. But seeing as how there’s no alternative here—you either jump in feetfirst or you walk away—what are you really waiting for? This isn’t the kind of thing you should walk away from, so I’m expecting to hear a big splash any second. Buck up, baby, and make shit happen. Even if it ends up a painful disaster, at least you’ll really be living.

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

When you meet someone, you never know what role they’ll end up playing in your life. That cute person you met at a party five years ago could end up marrying you in another five years. The chick you flirted with in the checkout line could turn out to be your new boss. The person you broke up with bitterly could end up falling in love with your best friend—or you, somewhere down the line, all over again. This is the thing: You should never, ever write anyone off, completely burn a bridge, or throw someone under a bus. You may regret it later. Keep that in mind this week.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

Someone once pulled the wool over your eyes, so you may have trust issues. Actually, it wasn’t so much that they pulled the wool over your eyes as the whole damn blanket. When it got pulled off, you were practically blinded by a potent combination of truth and sunlight, and wondered how you could’ve been so oblivious to something so obvious. Being charmed and trusting isn’t really a fault, even if it sometimes gets you into trouble. It’s better than being suspicious all the time. Sometimes the world deserves suspicion, but it’s far better to give it the benefit of the doubt. This week, try that.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)

As much as you love a scandal or juicy bit of gossip, I hope you’ll abstain from such guilty (and sometimes cruel) pleasures this week, as no good will come from them. If you come across a bit of dirt, keep it to yourself. That may be a real challenge, but it’s on you—you know full well that telling just one person is pretty much just as bad as posting it on the Internet. Keep a secret. Fail to, and its ghost is likely to come back and haunt you for quite some time. That’s no fun. Just zip it, already.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

If you’re shocking and irritating just by being you, so be it. There’s no exceptionally good reason to go out of your way to try not to be those things (and you’ll probably fail). Go ahead and shock and/or irritate the hell out of people this week, if that’s what’s in the cards. Not only that, but try to have fun doing it. If you get upset when someone gets vexed by you, then what’s the point? Laugh. Enjoy it. You’re just being you, and there’s no crime in that—just more fun to be had.